Sfincione is a Sicilian specialty and a common street food found particularly in the Porta Sant’Agata area of Palermo and the Ballarò Market. It can also be found in different versions in many Sicilian cities. It is much like its more northern relative, focaccia, but it tends to be a bit heavier, at least in my grandmother’s version, and is topped with more savory ingredients.
In America it is often referred to in restaurants as pizza bread. It differs, however, from what Americans call Sicilian pizza in that it’s thicker and uses no mozzarella.
My Nonna often made it for the extended family on special occasions. I’ve discovered that with the food processor, I can make sfincione an even easier task than my Nonna had. It no longer needs to be a dish for special occasions only. It’s so easy to make by this method that I often do it as a luncheon dish. It can also be served as a festive bread, accompanying a dinner. This recipe initially appeared in the publication, Times of Sicily, along with other recipes from my grandparents, who at one time ran a restaurant.
A baked sfincione.
The nice part is that you can vary the toppings to suit your taste. You might try lightly sautéed onions, sliced pepperoni or salami, capers, or anything else that suits your fancy. I come from a family of very finicky eaters, so my grandmother had to make three or four different versions each time to appeal to everyone. Any leftovers can be successfully reheated.
Only recently, I discovered that my Nonna’s recipe is considerably simpler and easier to make than the traditional versions found in Palermo, even though she immigrated to America from Palermo. Almost all recipes I’ve researched make a cooked tomato sauce for the topping, use copious amounts of cheese, and top the whole with breadcrumbs. Many recipes require overnight refrigeration of the dough—something that might be convenient if you’re making it for a luncheon.
What essentially makes my grandmother’s recipe simpler and different is that she used canned tomatoes, chopped into pieces rather than a tomato sauce. Also, she eliminated the bread crumbs and the voluminous amounts of cheese. I find anchovies give it a truly distinctive taste, but you can feel free to eliminate them.
Traditionally, grated aged Cacciocavallo and Ragusano cheeses are used, but these are difficult to find in America. Either Parmesan or Romano are fine substitutes. The crust is deliciously crispy, offering a wonderful contrast with the tender crumb and the savory topping. The generous sprinkling of dried oregano on the top gives the sfincione its delightful fragrance and its typically Sicilian flavor.
For the dough, add flour and salt to the food-processor container and process for one minute, using the cutting blade. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let proof for 5 minutes. Stir the olive oil into the yeast mixture. With the food processor running, gradually pour the yeast-oil mixture into the flour. Continue processing until the dough forms a ball. Remove from the processor and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Coat a bowl with olive oil, roll the dough ball in the bowl until completely coated in oil, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the dough is doubled in bulk.
Deflate the dough. Generously oil a 9- x 13-inch baking pan. Stretch the dough gently to fill the entire bottom of the pan.
Stretch the dough to fit the pan.
Cut the anchovy fillets in 1/4-inch pieces. With your finger, gently press the anchovy pieces into the dough, spacing them evenly.
Press the anchovy pieces into the dough.
Drain the tomatoes and cut into small pieces, pressing them gently into the dough. Then spread the sliced olives over the sfincione. Sprinkle the grated cheese, then the oregano evenly over the dough. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Cover and let rise for about 1/2 hour or until doubled in size.
Let the assembled sfincione rise.
Bake in a preheated 450° oven for about 20 minutes, until the sfinicione is nicely browned. Cut into squares and serve hot or at room temperature.
